Plate finishing machine



May 16, 1939.

1.. G. OLA NDER PLATE FINISHING MACHINE' I Filed March 6, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet l mm ya 1% WW j May 16, 1939. OLANDER 2,158,249

' PLATE FINISHING MACHINE Filed Mamh 6, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I u I l n May 16, 1939.

L. G. OLANDER PLATE FINISHING MACI'HNE Shee t 3 Filed Mardh 1957 rullllllll Q. Q

17222 27207" Ara/mm 4 0111x051 Patented May 16, 1939 PLATE FINISHDNG MACHINE Leonard G. Olander, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to The Monomelt Company, Incorporated, Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Application March 6, 1937, Serial No. 129,408

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a plate finishing machine and While the invention might have various applications, it particularly is designed for finishing or making a fiat surface on a stereotype plate to bring said plate to the proper thickness and finish so that it can be properly placed in the printing form.

It is an object of this invention to provide a machine in which the printing plate is reciprocated beneath a rotating cutter and having supporting means for a plate-supporting member together with novel and accurate means for raising and lowering said last mentioned means.

It is another object of the invention to provide a machine having a frame, a cutter, an elongated member therein for. positioning the plate to be finished relative to the cutter, said elongated member being supported by a plurality of swinging means pivoted thereto and to said frame.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a plate finishing machine comprising a rotating cutter, a plate-supporting member reciprocable past said cutter together with novel means for holding a plate on said plate carrying member adjacent said cutter.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a plate finishing machine comprising a rotating cutter, a plate-carrying member reciprocable past said cutter together with simple and efficient means for positioning said platecarrying member and holding the same in desired position.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a plate finishing machine comprising a rotating cutter and means for receiving and discharging the shavings made by said cutter.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a plate finishing machine comprising a rotating cutter, a plate-carrying member reciprocable past said cutter together with means for stopping the movement of said parts if too great a cut is taken by said cutter.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth in the following description made in connection with'the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which: I I Fig. 1 is a View in side elevation of the ma chine;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the machine, some parts being broken away;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of an elongated mem-[ ber used, some parts being broken away and oth-- ers s ownho z n al s c i n;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2 as indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a partial vertical section taken substantially on line 55 of Fig. 2 as indicated by the arrow;

Fig. 6 is a partial view mostly in side elevation as seen from the top of Fig, 2, some parts being broken away and others shown in vertical section;

Fig. '1 is a vertical section taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 2 as indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 8 is a vertical section taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 2 as indicated by the arrows; and

Fig. 9 is a vertical section taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 3 as indicated by the arrows. 1;5

Referring to the drawings, a machine is shown comprising a frame 28. While this frame might be variously made, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated it is shown as of elongated box form open at its top and is thus substantially (1.20 rectangular in horizontal cross section and in transverse and longitudinal vertical section. The frame thus comprises vertical and parallel end Walls 20a, parallel vertical side walls 201) and a substantially horizontal bottom 20c. Said side zgs walls 207) have adjacent eachend rectangular openings 28d therein, which openings are closed by removable plates orfdoors 2|. The doors 2| at one side of said frame have offset clips 22 secured to one end, the ofiset portions of which. extend along the inside of wall 20b. At their other ends said doors are provided with handles 23 inward of which is secured a spring catch or lock 24 having opposite resilient sides of V- shaped form with their open sides facing each;- other. Said catches or locks are adapted to be pressed between the spaced side portions 25a of keeper members 25 secured to the inner sides of in adjacent their upper ends rods 26 which extend between said walls. In the embodiment of the, invention illustrated three of these rods are shown. Secured to these rods are swinging members or links 21, which members are pivoted at their upper ends on pivots 28 spaced similarly to rods 26 and carriedin an elongated openwork frame 29. The central member 21 is secured to a gear segment 2101. having teeth at its periphery engaged by another gear 36 secured to a shaft 3| journaled in one of the side walls 261) and in a box 296 projecting therefrom, said shaft having secured at the outer side of said side wall a hand wheel 32. By turning hand wheel 32 gear or pinion 30 will be rotated, thus rotating segment 21a and swinging the attached link 21. This causes swinging movement of all of the links 27 and frame 29 is raised or lowered depending on the direction in which segment 21a is oscillated. Frame 29 normally moves downwardly by gravity. In order to hold said frame in the position to which it has been moved by hand wheel 32 it is engaged at one end by the end of a screw 33 threaded into one end wall 20a and having aknurled knob or wheel 34 secured to its end. A jamb nut 35 is threaded on screw 33, the same also. having a knurled cylindrical handle, which jamb nut may be screwed against the side wall 290.. A nut 36 is shown on screw 33 at the inner side of end wall 2911. A hard plate31 is secured to the end of frame 29 with which screw 33 engages. The frame 29 has side portions in one of which is formed a dove-tailed or angular guideway 29a. Inthe other side member a right angled guideway is formed and amember 38 having an inner angular face is secured to said side member by screws 39 extending through somewhat elongated holes in member 38. A gib strip 46 extends along the side of member 38 and is engaged by screws 4| extending through the outer vertical portion of the side of member 29. Screws 4| have slotted ends and may be adjusted to move member 38.

The members38 and guideway 290. form a guide for a slide 42 which forms a plate-carrying member. Member 42 has strips 413 rectangular in section secured along each side and at the top there of by spaced screws 44. A right-angled member 45 is secured at the front end of member 42 by spaced screws 45b. Member 45 ha's'a top flange overhanging, the top surface of member 42, the

frontedge 45a of which is serratedas shown in throughaslot 20f formed in one of the side walls 2017. A pulley 5| is secured to the outer end of shaft 59 over which runs a belt 52 also running over a pulley 53 secured to a shaft 54 which forms the armature shaft of a motor 55 secured by .bolts.56 to the bottom member 260 of.frame2 l] substantially centrally of said frame. also engaged at the inner side of its lower run Belt 52 is by a pulley 51 journaled on a stub shaft 58 carried inanarm 59 secured to and swinging about a pivot 69 in the side of frame 26.. A tensile .spring 6| issecured at one end to arm 59 and 'at its other end to the lower portion of frame 20, thus urging pulley.5'| downwardly against belt 52. Shaft. 54 also -has securedthereto outward of pulley 53 a twin pulley 62 over. whichand in the twin grooves of which runs a pair of belts 63, said belts also running over a twin pulley 64 having two grooves therein. Pulley 64 is secured toa shaft: 65 journaled in bearings 66 at the top of sidewalls 2017, which bearings have removable caps 66a secured by the headed bolts 61. A cutter 68 of themilling cutter type is keyed to shaft 65, the same being shown as in three sections, said cutter being engaged at one end by a nut 69 threaded on shaft 65. One end of shaft 65 has a reduced threaded portion projecting outwardly of bearing 66 and a castle nut 10 is threaded thereon and engages the outer side of bearing 66. A collar H is pinned to the other end of shaft 65 and engages the outer side of the other bearing .66 inward of pulleys 64 so that shaft 65 is held from endwise movement.

A pair of blocks 12 are secured respectively to the inner sides of bearings 66 by bolts 73. Said blocks are rectangular in vertical and horizontal cross section and have semicylindrical recesses in their central portions concentric with shaft 65. oppositely disposed bell crank levers 14 have upwardly projecting arms disposed at opposite sides of shaft 65 and are connected at their upper ends by a tensile coiled spring 15. Levers 14 have pivot studs 14a journaled in bores in the blocks 12. The lower arms 14b of levers 14 extend inwardly and have lower surfaces with rounded inner ends adapted to be engaged by'the top of the plate being worked upon and which is carried by the slide 42. Lugs 16 are secured in blocks 12 beneath portions 14b and each has a screw 17 threaded therethrough the inner end of which engages the bottom surface of a portion 14b adjacent block 12. It will be understood that there is a pair of the levers 14 adjacent each end of cutter 68. Another lever i8 is disposed at one side of one of the levers I4, namely at the rear side thereof and has a stud 18a journaled in a bore in block 5|. A tensile spring ?9 is secured to the upper end of lever 18 and to one side of one of the caps 660. so as to exert tension on lever 18. Lever I8 has a lower portion 181) having an undersurface with a rounded end, said portion being directed away from cutter 68. Another lug 86 is secured in block 12 and has a screw 6| threaded therethrough, the end of which engages the undersurface of portion 18b adjacent block 12. Screws H and 8| have slotted heads. It will be understood that there is one of the levers 18 adjacent and outwardly of each pair of levers 14.

Motor 55 is of the reversible type and the circuit thereof is controlled by a switch 82 having a movable contact carrying a handle 83. Switch 82' has forward and reverse contacts 820, and handle 83 is shown in the stop or neutral position.

Frame 29 as previously described is adapted to be raised and lowered by manipulating hand wheel 32. A plate 84 is disposed within one of the side walls 20b adjacent one side of frame 29 and.

is held in light engagement therewith by headed screws 85 extending through side wall 20b and into plate 84. Frame 29 is thus kept from any lateral movement.

A rod 86 extends across the top of the frame and is carried at its ends in arms 81 carried on pivots 8B journaled in the bearings 66 at the inner sides thereof. -One of said pivots 88 extends to the outer side of its bearing 66 and has secured thereto a crank 89 having a projecting of the switch box 99. ,Pawl 93 has faces'ad- Roller 9| engages one side of ajacent its end at an angle to each other whichare as stated adapted to engage thefaces at the end of one arm of lever 92 respectively. Lever 92 is mounted on a pivot 94 and its other arm 92a carries a contact plate 95 connected to a binding post 96 on the upper side of arm 92a, to which binding post is connected one of the conductors 91 of the motor circuit. A block 98 of insulating material is secured to one side of switch box 90 and has a contact member 99 projecting upwardly therethrough and normally in engagement with contact plate 95. Contact 99 is connected to a binding post I90 at the lower side of member 98, to which post is connected the other conductor I9l of the motor circuit. Switch box 99 has a step portion 90a at itstop with a projecting apertured lug through which extends a plunger rod I02 equipped at its upper end with a knob I03. A coiled compression spring I94 surrounds plunger I02 bearing at its upper end against knob I93 and at its lower end against the top of switch box portion 99a. Plunger I92 has a collar I05 secured to its lower end within the switch box 90 and which is disposed above the outer end of lever arm 92a.

A casing H0 is provided disposed at one side of cutter 68, the same having horizontal top and bottom portions connected by an end wall II9a at the end remote from cutter 68. Casing II 9 is mounted at one side on hinges III secured at the top and side of frame 29 and said casing has feet II2 adjacent its other side which normally rest on one of the side portions of frame 29. Casing I I0 is open at its end adjacent cutter 68 and at its side adjacent hinges II I. A shield I I3 extends over the top of cutter 68, being held beneath the heads of one pair of bolts 61, said shield extending in close proximity to the end of casing H0 and in substantial alinement with the top side thereof. A chute H4 is secured to one side of frame20 and is of slightly greater longitudinal extent than casing IIO. Chute II4 has an open upper end disposed substantially at the bottom of casing H0 and said chute has an inwardly extending portion I I4a extending through an opening in one of the doors 2I. Portion II4a has a plate I I4!) forming a part thereof engaging the outer side of door 2| and secured thereto by screws Ilfi. Portion Il4a therefore is disposed within the frame 29 and has its open lower end disposed over a box-like receptacle II'I disposed within the frame and resting on bottom portion 200. Receptacle II! is shown as having one or more handles H8 by means of which it may be lifted and said receptacle is removable through one of the openings 20d.

In operation, when a plate shown as I20 in Fig. 4 is to be finished, the same is placed face downward on member 42. The plate will then be brought to the desired vertical position relative to cutter 68 and this is done by turning hand wheel 32. This turns gear 39 and swings segment 21a so that all of the links 21 are swung about their pivots 26. 'Member 29 and member 42 carried thereby are thus raised and are always in a plane parallel to the top of member 42.

drive pulley '53 which through belt 52 will turn pulley 5| and shaft 50. Beveled gears 49 and 48 will be driven thus turning screw 41. Screw 4'! will be turned in the direction to move nut 46 to the right as seen in Figs. 2 and 4. Shaft 54 will also drive pulley 92 and through the belt 99 the pulley 04. Pulley 94 drives shaft 05 and thus the cutter 98. Plate I29 is positioned with one end against member 46 and is held firmly against this member due to the serrated edge thereof. Member 42 and plate I29 are now moved toward the cutter and as the plate approaches the cutter it engages the undersurface of the first portion 14b which as shown in Fig. 2 extends entirely across member. 42. The portion 14b can beadjusted by adjusting the screws 11 so as to get the desired contact with plate I29. The plate is thus held down by portion 14b and slides under said portion into engagement with cutter 68 which finishes the top surface of the plate I29 to a very smooth surfacedisposed in one plane. As the plate passes the cutter it engages the other portion Mb and is held down thereby. When it progresses a short distance farther it engages the portion 19b and is held down by this portion. Said portion, of course, can be adjusted to the desired position by screws 17 and 8|. The plate thus moves past cutter 68 and is finished. It will be understood that the plates vary considerably in length and breadth as well as in thickness. When the plate has passed the cutter the switch lever 83, will again be moved to bring its contact into engagement with the other contact 82a and motor 55 will be reversed. Screw 47 will. then move nut 46 to the left as shown in Figs. 2 and 4 and member 42 will be moved to the left'with plate I29. When the plate I20 and member 42 have reached their end position switch lever 83 will be again moved to neutral position stopping the machine. Suitable stops can be arranged to be engaged by a lug or lugs carried by member 42 to throw the switch 82 and levers and stop the motor 55 without the intervention of the operator. Should the plate I20 be positioned so that too great a cut is attempted by cutter 98 the rod 99 will be elevated and arm 81 will be swung about pivot 88 in a clockwise direction as shown in Fig. '6. This will cause roller 9I to act on lever 92 and will raise contact plate 95 out of engagement with contact 99. The motor circuit will thus be broken and the motor 55 and the machine will stop. The engagement of members 95 and 99 can be reestablished by pressing down on knob I03 and pushing plunger I02 downward against the tension of spring I04 so that collar I95 en gages lever arm 92a and swings the same downwardly. Lever 92 will be held in the two positions respectively by engagement of its end surfaces bypawl 93.

When the cutter 68 is operating it removes chips or shavings from the top of plate I29 and these are thrown backwards as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 4. These shavings thus pass into casing H9. Shield H3 prevents any of the shavings from being thrown upwardly at the end of casing IIO. When a quantity of shavings have accumulated in casing I I9 the same can be swung upwardly as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 8 and the shavings will then pass into chute H4 and be delivered therethrough into receptacle II'i. Casing 9' will then be returned to its normal position with the leg members IIZ resting 'on the side of member 29. It will be noted that when frame 29 is elevated that shaft 59 is moved and this moves pulley 5!. It is necessary therefore to have means for keeping belt 52 under proper tension and this is accomplished by pulley 5'! which is urged against said belt by spring 6| moving arm 60.

From the above description it is seen that ap plicant has provided a very simple and efficient structure of stereotype plate finishing machine. The work is very quickly and accurately done and the work can be done quite rapidly.

In practice frame 20 has been made of one integral casting. This makes it possibleto get accurate positioning of frame 29 on its pivots and insures that the parts will not become disarranged by any movement of parts of a divided frame. The machine has been amply demonstrated in actual practice and found to be very successful and efficient.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts, without departing from the scope of applicants invention, which generally stated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects above set forth in the parts and combinations of parts disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A plate finishing machine having in combination, a single rotating tool, a plate-supporting member reciprocable past said tool, resiliently mounted presser members for engaging said plate at either side of said tool and a third presser member longitudinally spaced from one of said presser members at the discharge side of said tool.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1, said third presser member comprising a lever with a convex surface engageable with said plate and resilient means acting on said lever to press said surface against said plate.

3. A plate finishing machine having in combination, a rotating tool, a plate-supporting member reciprocable past said tool, a casing above said member at one side of said tool and extending longitudinally of said plate supporting member for some distance and above the same and having an opening at one end adjacent said tool to receive shavings discharged thereby.

4. In a plate finishing machine having a cutter and a plate supporting member reciprocable past said cutter, the combination of a frame, a second member supporting said plate supporting member and having a surface disposed in a plane parallel to the direction of movement of said plate and swinging means for supporting said second member for raising and lowering the same to adjust it for different cuts on said plate and maintaining said surface parallel to said plane including a plurality of links spaced longitudinally of said member, said links being of equal length, pivots at one end of said links connecting the same to said frame and pivots at the other ends of said links connecting the same to said second member, said links being arranged in parallel relation and manually operated means for swinging one of said links whereby all must move in unison.

5. In a plate finishing machine of the type having a rotating cutter past which a plate is moved, the combination of a frame, a plate supporting member and means supporting said member having portions extending downwardly at each side of said frame, pivot pins secured in said portions and spaced longitudinally of said frame, members extending across said frame having link forming lugs thereon pivoted at their upper ends on said pins, pivots connecting the lower ends of said lugs to said frame, said lugs extending in parallel relation and being of equal length between their pivots, one of said members having a projection and means manipulatable by the operator engaging said projection to rotate said member about its pivot whereby all of said lugs are simultaneously moved in parallel relation and said plate supporting member is moved to properly adjust the plate for its out and its top surface maintained in a plane parallel to a fixed plane.

6. In a plate finishing machine of the type having a rotating cutter past which a plate is moved, the combination of a frame, a platesupporting member and means supporting said member having portions extending downwardly at each side of said frame, pivot pins secured in said portions and spaced longitudinally of said frame, members extending across said frame having link forming lugs thereon pivoted at their upper ends on said pins, pivots connecting the lower ends of said lugs to said frame and spaced similarly to said pivot pins, said lugs extending in parallel relation and being of equal length between their pivots, one of said members having a projection formed as a gear segment, a pinion engaging said segment and means at one side of said machine for turning said gear and swinging said lug whereby all of said lugs are swung in unison and said plate-supporting member is moved.

7. A plate finishing machine having in combination, a frame, a plate supporting means having a plane surface, a member supporting said means, a plurality of members of equal length pivoted about fixed pivots in said frame .and spaced longitudinally of said frame and pivoted to said last mentioned member about pivots spaced similarly to said pivots and means manipulatable by the operator for oscillating all of said swinging members simultaneously to raise and lower said last mentioned member so that said surface always moves in parallel planes to adjust the plate for its out.

LEONARD G. OLANDER. 

